crusade

[ kroo-seyd ]

/ kruˈseɪd /

noun

(often initial capital letter) any of the military expeditions undertaken by the Christians of Europe in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries for the recovery of the Holy Land from the Muslims.

any war carried on under papal sanction.

any vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, cause, etc.: a crusade against child abuse.

verb (used without object), cru·sad·ed, cru·sad·ing.

to go on or engage in a crusade.

Nearby words

crus, crus of clitoris, crus of diaphragm, crus of fornix, crus of penis, crusade, crusader, crusades, crusado, cruse, crush

Origin of crusade

1570–80; earlier crusada < Spanish cruzada; replacing croisade < Middle French. See cross, -ade¹

Related formscru·sad·er, nounnon·cru·sad·ing, adjectivepost-Cru·sade, adjectivepre-Cru·sade, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for crusaders

Even though we cast ourselves as martyrs, we might be crusaders.
The Death of Jesus and the Rise of the Christian Persecution Myth|Candida Moss|March 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In a Christian landscape with so many diverse options, Pawlenty has eschewed the crusaders in favor of the consensus-builder.
Pawlenty’s Pastor Problem|McKay Coppins|July 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The marathon-length address embraced by crusaders and cranks alike—and knew no partisan bounds.
Senate Stonewallers|Benjamin Sarlin, Samuel P. Jacobs|November 9, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He also warned that the “apostates” in countries like Saudi Arabia who cooperate with the “Crusaders” would be sent to hell.
Al Qaeda's New Murder Plot|Bruce Riedel|August 28, 2009|DAILY BEAST

They may take the moral high ground while telling others how to live, but they are not the crusaders that Spitzer was.
Why Obama Should Hire Eliot Spitzer|Justin Frank|April 6, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Acre was at this moment beset by those of the Crusaders who had arrived before Richard.
A History of England|Charles Oman
As soon as the citizens heard of this design they sent an embassy to the Crusaders to deprecate it.
A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume I|Henry Charles Lea
When the crusaders took Constantinople, the Venetians did not neglect to secure to themselves many advantages from that event.
The Railroad Question|William Larrabee
For those two hundred million dollars were a barrier, which a descendant of Crusaders and preux chevaliers could not overleap.
Mortal Coils|Aldous Huxley
The crusaders must have learned something from their mistakes; and military science was revived.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume V|John Lord

British Dictionary definitions for crusaders

crusade

/ (kruːˈseɪd) /

noun

(often capital) any of the military expeditions undertaken in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries by the Christian powers of Europe to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims

(formerly) any holy war undertaken on behalf of a religious cause

a vigorous and dedicated action or movement in favour of a cause

verb (intr)

to campaign vigorously for something

to go on a crusade

Derived Formscrusader, noun

Word Origin for crusade

C16: from earlier croisade, from Old French crois cross, from Latin crux; influenced also by Spanish cruzada, from cruzar to take up the cross

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

crusade

noun

verb (used without object), cru·sad·ed, cru·sad·ing.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of crusade

Examples from the Web for crusaders

British Dictionary definitions for crusaders

crusade

noun

verb (intr)

Word Origin for crusade